


Hello, death...

by Goddess_of_Fantasy



Category: MapleStory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-18 00:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5890417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goddess_of_Fantasy/pseuds/Goddess_of_Fantasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I am probably gonna add on to this, but this is my first fic here, so forgive me. Eckhart is introduced to a mysterious figure: a girl who is known as...the Midnight Warrior? She claims to be a friend, but who is she, really? - Kate</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello, death...

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is not a final work. I will add on later, most likely. So please forgive me. - Kate

Again and again, Natasha’s sword met the Thief’s knives, sending showers of sparks into the air. Natasha suddenly staggered, her left hand straying to her heart. Her eyes widened. “Eckhart…” “Natasha, DUCK!” her sparring partner cried. She dropped to the ground as a 12-inch knife flew through the air where her head had been mere milliseconds ago. “Are you alright?” the Thief asked, landing at her side. “I’m fine,” Natasha said, getting to her feet. “I need to go. A friend of mine is in grave danger.” The Thief nodded. “Go.” And Natasha vanished into the shadows.

The ground rumbled as the huge beast galloped at him, its sharp horns aimed at Eckhart’s heart. Eckhart knew he should move out of the way, get up, do something, but he couldn’t seem to look away from the monster’s glowing red eyes. His body wouldn’t obey him. He couldn’t move! Suddenly, a figure dropped from the sky, driving the monster’s head into the ground with their feet. The glowing eyes flickered and dimmed. Eckhart blinked. The person turned to face him. It was a girl. Her sapphire blue eyes reflected the moonlight. He couldn’t make out the rest of her face in the darkness. “Are you alright?” she asked, walking over and offering her hand. “Who are you?” Eckhart asked as she pulled him to his feet. She sighed and looked away. “A friend.” He quickly walked over and retrieved his mask from where it had fallen. “How did you know I was here? It is unusual for anyone to be this deep in the woods so late at night.” “I am known as the Midnight Warrior,” she replied. “I am often found in the darkest and most dangerous of places, though I am no Night Walker. You were in great danger here.” “…thank you for saving my life,” Eckhart said with gratitude. She smiled. “I help those in need of help. That is my duty. But now, I believe it is time for you to go. There are many in Ereve who are worried for you.” Eckhart nodded and stepped into the shadows. “…farewell, Eckhart…” came her voice as he disappeared.

A million thoughts raced through Eckhart’s mind as he walked slowly to his room. That girl had saved him. How had she known his name and identity? Well…as a Knight of Cygnus, he was pretty well known. But she had known where he was and had found him, deep in the forest at night, and had somehow arrived just in time to save his life. A moment later, and he was a goner. Was she really a friend? And most importantly, who was she? He sighed and reached for the doorknob. Arms suddenly wrapped around him and almost knocked him over. “Eckhart! You’re back!” Oz exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mask land on the ground, a few feet away. The other Knights came running from their rooms and were soon joined by Neinheart. “Where were you?” Irena demanded. Eckhart gently freed himself of Oz and retrieved his mask, placing it on his face again. “In the forest.” “We were so worried, man!” Hawkeye exclaimed. “We couldn’t find you anywhere!” Neinheart looked him over. “Did something happen?” Eckhart shot him a sideways glance. Not now. The tactician understood immediately and said, “It’s late, everyone, and the Empress is asleep. Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow?” And one by one, the other Knights returned to their rooms. “Let’s go get you some food,” Neinheart suggested. They walked to the kitchen, where a plate of food sat waiting for him. “We saved you some dinner in case you came back late,” he explained, heating it. “But when you didn’t appear at all, we started to worry. I sent the Empress to bed to keep her from worrying too much. What happened?” Eckhart sighed and took the plate. They sat down at a table. “I was attacked by a monster of sorts in the forest,” he began, removing his mask and setting it on the table. Neinheart was silent. “It was a very large one, with glowing red eyes.” He frowned slightly, and began eating slowly. “The thing is…I could not move whenever it looked at me.” The tactician furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?” “I lost control over my body,” Eckhart repeated. “I tried to move out of the way, but I felt paralyzed.” Neinheart nodded slowly. “Go on.” “Of course, like all beasts, it charged,” Eckhart continued between bites of dinner. “And I still couldn’t move…I was almost killed.” “You’re still alive,” the other noted. “Something must’ve happened then.” “Yes,” Eckhart agreed. “Something I never would have hoped for. A girl appeared out of nowhere and saved me.” “A girl,” Neinheart repeated thoughtfully. “What did she look like?” “She was a girl with blue eyes,” Eckhart recalled. “She said she was known as the…Midnight Warrior?” A soft gasp came from behind them. Neinheart was on his feet in a second. Eckhart sighed and continued eating. “Empress, what are you doing here?” he asked, not even bothering to turn around. Cygnus stepped out from behind the door, blushing slightly. Neinheart looked at her disapprovingly. “It’s late, Empress. You should be in bed.” “I heard talking in here and I was curious,” she said quietly. “When I heard you mention the Midnight Warrior, though…I couldn’t help myself.” Eckhart looked up interestedly, finishing the last bits of his late dinner as Neinheart and Cygnus sat down across from him. “You want to tell us something,” he said, setting down his fork. She nodded shyly. “…I know the Midnight Warrior.” Neinheart raised an eyebrow. “And how would you know such a person, my Empress?” She hesitated before answering. “Natasha.”  
Neinheart frowned. “I should have known it was her. That rambunctious girl you insisted on protecting from the guards…you could have been in danger!” At this, Eckhart looked up. “No. I kept an eye on her when they were together. The Empress was in no danger from that girl. She was a little mysterious, but I sensed no evil from her.” Neinheart nodded slowly. “Still, I worry for you to spend so much time with a complete stranger.” Cygnus crossed her arms. “So you still don’t trust me to make my own judgments! I know what I am doing, Neinheart! In fact, I want to adopt her!” Neinheart gave her a funny look. “What do you mean, ‘adopt her’?” “You know,” Cygnus said. “Take her into the family! She can be my sister and keep me company!” “But-but Empress-!” Neinheart spluttered. “The Empress has made her decision, Neinheart,” Eckhart interrupted. “Besides, we can learn more about Natasha if she is in the palace than if she is always wandering about outside.” Neinheart sighed. “It’s decided then. I’ll organize and sign the papers tomorrow. Meanwhile,” he said, standing. “We might as well try and get some sleep. It’s almost midnight!”

**Author's Note:**

> Would really appreciate comments and suggestions on improvement... - Kate


End file.
